A refrigerator is a large painted steel box with a soft foam interior, and the damage that matters is a dent in a flat face. Dents come from pressure, not from a single impact: a corner pressed against the carton, a fitting bearing on the side panel, a unit stacked against another. Panels that spread that pressure are the whole point of the pack.
Where a fridge pack fails
The side panel is the largest unsupported face in the pack. Anything that touches it over a small area leaves a dent that cannot be filled invisibly, so the unit is rejected at the retailer even though it works.
The second failure is at the base and the top corners, where the unit meets the pallet and the carton. Those are the points where the pack takes the set-down and where a corner post, if used, has to transfer load around the product rather than through it.
Specification at a glance
Refrigerator panels are usually 20-30 mm on the large faces, thinner at the ends, with a cell size chosen to conform slightly to a curved door front.
| Position | Thickness | Cell | Reason |
|---|
| Side panel | 20-25 mm | 6-8 mm | Large flat face, pressure spread |
| Door front, curved | 20-25 mm | 8-10 mm | Conforms without bridging |
| Top and base | 25-30 mm | 6 mm | Set-down and stacking |
| Corner post | Separate component | 4 mm | Carries stack, not the panel |
| Between two units | 15-20 mm | 6 mm | Prevents unit-to-unit contact |
Panels, posts and the load path
The panels protect the faces; the corner posts carry the stack. If the panels are asked to carry stack load they compress and the pack goes slack, so the post and the panel have different jobs and different specifications.
For a French-door or side-by-side unit, the door front is not flat and the panel has to follow it without bridging. A 8-10 mm cell at 20-25 mm thickness conforms better than a dense small-cell board, and it avoids a pressure line along the door gap.
Packing line handling and print
Large panels are awkward to place. Cut them to the face with a small inset and add a finger notch if the operator has to lift them out for inspection. A panel that is wrestled into place is usually a panel that ends up creased.
Printed facing is common on appliance packs because the panel is visible when the carton is opened at the retailer. Print on the facing, not on the face that touches the appliance.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Will a panel stop a dent from a forklift impact?
No. Panels spread pressure from contact and stacking. A forklift impact needs a corner post or a crate.
What thickness for a side-by-side fridge?
20-25 mm with an 8-10 mm cell, following the door contour rather than bridging it.
Can panels be printed with the model number?
Yes, on the facing, subject to artwork. It helps at the retail unpack stage.
Are the panels recyclable with the carton?
They are a paper structure and go with the paper waste stream. Check local rules for any coating.
Do you supply corner posts too?
We can supply honeycomb posts and profiles from the same board, and paper edge protectors if the pack needs them.
For a quotation, post the product dimensions, load and destination port to mona@hengnicepacking.com.
